Published: Sept. 23, 2001

The University of ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ at Boulder will hold a public meeting on the Williams Village student housing expansion project on Oct. 4 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Stearns Central, room 178, at the Williams Village complex.

According to Derrick Watson, project coordinator for the department of Housing, the purpose of the meeting is to provide residents with an update on the status of the project, including master site planning sketches, preliminary design guidelines and the development schedule.

Questions, comments and key issues from recent neighborhood meetings also will be addressed, such as proposed strategies to address transportation issues.

The ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ Commission on Higher Education approved ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥'s master plan in March. In its approval, the commission recommended that the university remove a 500-bed cap on the first phase of expansion at Williams Village and allow the development of up to 1,900 beds on an expedited timeline because of the city of Boulder's housing crunch. The ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ Board of Regents approved the Williams Village program plan later that month.

Goals for the project include increasing the supply of affordable on-campus housing for students and lessening the impact of student rentals on Boulder neighborhoods. A minimum of 400 units will be available for occupancy in fall 2003, followed by additional units in fall 2004, with a maximum build-out of 1,900 units by fall 2008.